The present disclosure relates generally to systems for extracting airborne components from air streams, such as in welding, cutting, metal working, wood working, and other applications.
A wide range of industrial, commercial, hobby and other applications result in airborne components that can be removed with proper extraction and filtering. Metal working operations, for example, range from cutting, welding, soldering, assembly, and other processes that may generate smoke and fumes. In smaller shops it may be convenient simply to open ambient air passages or to use suction or discharge air from fans to maintain air spaces relatively clear. In other applications, cart-type fume extractions are used. In industrial settings, more complex fixed systems may be employed for extracting fumes from specific works cells, metal working locations, and so forth. In other settings, such as machine shops, woodworking shops, worksites where cutting, sanding and other operations are performed, dust, fumes, particulate and other types of airborne components may be generated that it may be desirable to collect and extract from work areas and controlled spaces.
A number of systems have been developed for fume extraction, and a certain number of these are currently in use. In general, these use suction air to draw fumes and smoke from the immediate vicinity of the metal working operation, and to filter the fumes and smoke before returning the air to the room or blowing the air to an outside space. Further improvements are needed, however, in fume extraction systems. For example, it would be useful to increase the effective ability of the systems to draw the fumes and smoke from the metal working workspace. Moreover, it would be useful to increase the distance and expand the volume over which the fume extractor can effectively remove fumes and smoke.